Florists in Ireland become overwhelmed at around 5pm on Valentine’s Day, with hoards of men hurrying in to pick up flowers at the last minute.
That is according to new research from Allied Irish Banks (AIB) which looks at the Valentine’s Day spending habits of Irish couples.
AIB compiled the figures by cross-referencing one million debit and credit cards transactions from Valentine’s Day 2019.
One of the standout details was that Irish men spend an average of €44 on a bouquet of flowers.
This means that most of their partners would not be receiving the ultra-romantic bouquet of 24 red roses.
The average cost for two dozen red roses was €120.
The biggest spenders in Ireland were Tipperary men who fork out an average €54 on a bouquet of flowers, while Wexford fellas were the thriftiest, spending €40.
Fergal Coburn of AIB said: “The data shows there is a last minute dash for flowers which could prompt florists to stay open for longer or increase staff numbers during the busiest time.”
AIB also revealed that spending on jewellery increases by 60% around Valentine’s Day. Men spend an average of €129 on jewellery.
Another industry that sees a spike in spending around Valentine’s Day is hospitality.
Hotels experience a 17% increase in bookings with couples heading for romantic getaways.
Cork men are Ireland’s biggest spenders when it comes to whisking their loved ones away for a romantic break.
Restaurants see the biggest increase in customers, with spending going up by 91% on Valentine’s Day.
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling
